How to Become Enriched Through the Pesach Seder

At the end of Avadim Hayinu we say וְכָל הַמַּרְבֶּה לְסַפֵּר בִּיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח. This is generally translated as “Whoever expands upon the telling of the story of the Exodus (tonight) is considered praiseworthy.” The Alexander Rebbe suggested that we can translate this phrase in another way: “Whoever focuses his/her attention on appreciating the miracles of the Exodus and embellishes their praise and gratitude to Hashem for Yetziat Mitzrayim- such a person is not only praiseworthy but will become enriched as a result. Living lives of gratitude is enriching. On Seder night we exercise our gratitude muscles in order to celebrate Pesach but also as practice for the rest of the year. A certain Jew from Bnei Brak recalled sitting at the Seder table of the Alexander Rebbe. Before reciting Kiddush the Rebbe exclaimed, “A Jew that does not believe that on this night he climbs from the lowest depths to the highest heights – he is the Rasha referred to in the Haggadah!” We climb those Seder heights through developing our sense of gratitude – to Hashem and to others. We do so even when it’s not so easy. Reb Elimelech Biderman tells a story that one year Rav Zalman Brizel was about to begin his Seder, when one of his grandchildren, who was playing, accidentally tugged at the tablecloth causing the matzahs to fall on the floor where they cracked. Each whole matzah was very precious to Rav Brizel, but he did not react to the accident. Instead, he smiled broadly, raised his eyes heavenward and proclaimed, “Ribbono Shel Olam, I thank You for my sweet grandchildren!”  This Pesach, let’s not cry over broken matzahs. There is much for the Jewish People to pray for this year, perhaps more so than in years past. May our gratitude serve as the merit by which all of our prayers are answered.